1
as in step
a very small distance or degree
give them an inch, and they'll take a mile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
every year the water inches further up the embankments, threatening to permanently engulf the island city
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inch
Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2025
The Blues came within inches of scoring twice — the first from a Faulk shot that rang off the post, and the second off a wraparound that Lankinen barely kept out.
—Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2025
Although fans were shocked by this new look, Olivia has been inching towards a darker aesthetic for a while now.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inch
Noun
Oregon is expected to be hit with 10 inches of snow in the mountains during the day and into the evening Friday.
—Verb
Indeed, Damascus seems to be inching toward greater functionality, with uniformed traffic police on the streets and a steadier electricity supply.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
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Hitting coach Kevin Long went to the top step to debrief Sosa with some video and a scouting report.—
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Its maiden and hero product, Rested, hones in on sleep as the fundamental step to optimizing cognitive and immune function.—
Noun
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Lap 110: Chase Elliott has held the lead since restarting on the front row following the stage break.—
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Key moments in the careers of Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T, Green Day, Rage Against the Machine, Courtney Love, and many more played out on its stages, as chronicled in the excellent new oral-history book Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock’s Wildest Festival.—
Noun
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This change makes the full height of the screen available for displaying photos rather than reserving a bar at the bottom just for buttons.—
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The future of women’s boxing is now, and MVP is proud to lead the charge in taking the sport to unprecedented heights.—
Verb
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While fire hasn’t encroached on the home yet, a fire burned on the other side of the mountain, Rodney Nelson said.—
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The laws that passed after 9/11 also undermined the First Amendment by encroaching on Americans’ religious liberty.—
Verb
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The man was convicted of dragging the girl into an alley on Glenwood Road near E. 38th St. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and attacking her, cops said.—
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The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and dragging hundreds more back to Gaza as hostages.—
Noun
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Gaynes recommends applying it on the most intimate parts of the body: behind the knees, the crease at the elbow, the nape of the neck, and the small of the back.—
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Her mother Johnnie Anderson told cops her daughter was lying on her back in bed and still had a knife sticking out of her neck.—
Noun
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As for what’s next for Salke, sources around town noted that her new first-look production deal at Amazon actually sets her up for a new chapter that will somewhat free her from the creative constraints that come with answering to tech bosses.—
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Bafana Bafana are writing a new chapter in South African football.—
Verb
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If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.—
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Senators from both sides of the aisle are reigniting efforts to crawl back technology companies’ legal immunities with hopes bipartisan support in Congress could push the bill across the finish line this session and gain the backing of President Trump.—
Cite this Entry
“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
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